What’s the timeline for the new courthouse site selection and construction? Not for a while
Assembled by Debra Moore
The Judicial Council of California has released a timeline of events with regard to the construction of a new courthouse in Quincy. The new structure is projected to be just over 53,000 square feet and contain three court rooms. It has a projected cost of nearly $101 million. A lot size of approximately 1.88 acres is required. Construction completion is estimated for January 2029.
Ten locations were originally identified for consideration with three now on the short list: Dame Shirley Plaza, the Feather Publishing parcel on Lawrence Street, and the Stone House property in East Quincy (which includes the parcel immediately east of the property).
The next step is to narrow the candidates to just two sites. Once those sites have been identified, the public will have the opportunity to voice their opinions.
At each of the three candidate sites, experts have been:
- Performing preliminary environmental site assessments
- Identifying potential biological, cultural, and tribal cultural considerations
- Determining the site boundaries, topography, access routes, proximity to justice partners and services, potential flood zones, seismic zones, and other construction issues
Once those tasks are complete, the project advisory group will score and rank the sites against the site criteria that have been established. The findings will be reviewed/analyzed by the Judicial Council, the Superior Court of Plumas County, and the project advisory group to confirm one preferred and one alternate site.
Those two sites will then be presented to the council’s Administrative Director and at a public meeting of the council’s Court Facilities Advisory Committee. The public can provide written or in-person comments at committee meetings—dates and meeting agendas are posted on the committee’s public webpage. The committee will discuss the site options at its meeting and take action to approve site selection if desired.
Once the committee approves the desired site, the Judicial Council will request approval at a public State Public Works Board (SPWB) meeting. If approved, the council will coordinate further analysis of the site, real estate due diligence, and purchase negotiations. Once the terms, conditions, and price are determined, a request to acquire the site will be presented to the SPWB for approval.
Once a site is selected, council staff will also implement CEQA and other environmental regulatory requirements. Public outreach will occur at the commencement of CEQA (Notice of Preparation) and at the publication of the draft CEQA document.
The Performance Criteria phase is estimated to begin in May 2024 and be completed in January 2025.
The Design-Build phase—including Construction—is estimated to begin in July 2025 and be completed in January 2029.
Thank you Debra for this information.
Nice, balanced, information rich journalism. Thank you.
Thanks Debra for presenting the time-line. We’re really going to miss Plumas News when it’s gone. We don’t have to wait though to show our support for the Plaza. Today, Thursday, from 5PM to 7PM, Celebrate Dame Shirley Plaza with music, dancing and a fun with your family and friends. See you there!!
From July 28, 2021 this publication:
“Soon after completion, the facility was left unused by virtue of minimal docket load and deemed by local judges impractical to have judges and support staff travel from the established courts in Quincy and Downieville, or staff the site with a clerk. ”
Why in a county of declining population where it has been proven already that there is a “declining docket load” do we need yet another courthouse? Are we anticipating a big surge in crime, litigation, and administrative burden? Do we even want that?
At 101 million the projected cost comes to about $5,000 per person in the county. And you know how “projected” costs go. Just look at the “bullet” train fiasco.
The answer may be found in this bit from the same piece: “the Administration of the Courts (AOC) funded and constructed a facility in Portola”
WHO is pushing for this?
Seems like time to follow the money!